Reason for earaches and headaches when flying and how to fix it
Holidays are what get us through the drudgery of working life, but to get to a sunny beach or a beautiful European city, a flight is usually required. Which can be a slog in its own right.
From having to drag yourself to the airport, no doubt paying an obscene amount just to get dropped off, then waiting in queues for check-in, security and the customary pre-flight pint, it can be a stressful experience before you finally get the chance to relax.
Then there's more waiting.
Especially if you're delayed, but even if not, while you line up to board after being called to the gate before it's even open only to be typically treated to a cramped seat that's impressively uncomfortable.
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After all that, you then have the flight to contend with which, even if you're comfortable soaring through the air at 10,000 feet in a tin can, can have its drawbacks.
That's not just if you end up sat next to a screaming baby or a lairy stag do. Even if you're the only person on the flight, you could still be afflicted with earaches and headaches.
The pain you can get in your ear can be particularly agonising and last long after you've debarked and are finally sunning yourself by the pool.
But what actually is the condition and what can you do to stop it?
What is the ear ache you get on flights?
As it turns out, those annoying and inconvenient flying pains actually have a proper medical name.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, barotrauma is what happens to your body when there is a sudden change in air or water pressure and it's faster than your body can adapt to.
There are multiple different kinds, too, as it can impact your stomach, lungs and sinuses, which typically occurs when deep-water diving.
The most common form, though, is ear barotrauma, which affects your middle ears when flying, especially around take-off and landing when the air pressure changes significantly in a short amount of time.
The clinic lists the symptoms of ear barotrauma as:
- A feeling that your ears are full or stuffed up
- Severe ear pain
- Dizziness
- Hearing issues
- Nausea and vomiting
The condition could also be worsened if you have blocked sinuses.
It's added that most barotrauma conditions aren't a serious health concern and the symptoms usually go away on their own accord.
But, on some occasions, it could be life-threatening and require urgent medical attention, though that's usually when it impacts the stomach and lungs rather than the ears.
It's advised that care should be sought if the symptoms don't go away or get worse.
So, while ear barotrauma isn't typically dangerous, it can certainly be very, very painful and put a sour note on your journey - so it's best to avoid it if you can.
How do you stop earaches and headaches when flying?
A great way to prevent ear barotrauma is by sucking on a sweet, especially during take off and landing, but that's not the only technique.
The Cleveland Clinic also recommends chewing gum, using special ear plugs or blowing your nose to protect from air pressure changes.
Nasal decongestants are also recommended to clear your sinuses and help prevent any pain.
If your ears do go fuzzy and painful, then your quickest route to normality is to close your mouth, hold your nose tight and blow out of your ears.
This technique helps 'pop' your ear drums and alleviate the pressure imbalance in your ears.
But don't take it from us.
Nick Eades is the world's most experienced Boeing 747 pilot with over 32,000 hours in the air and he used the method himself, but he does warn not to blow too hard.
Eades told LADbible: "You don't want to do it too hard because anything like that you're putting pressure on the ear drum. It's better to suck a sweet or to do it gently.
"There's a pressure differential, that's what you're trying to reduce, from one side of the ear to the other side of the eardrum. So you need to do it gently.
"What you don't want to do is blow hard because then what you're then doing you're trying to normalise the pressure very quickly, and that can damage the ear drum."
Hopefully, your next flight will be pain free.
Daniel Murphy